Dems waste no time casting Bachmann and Paul as extreme - The Hill's Blog Briefing Room

"Debbie Wasserman Schultz (Fla.), the chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), said that the results of the unofficial poll ... showed that the Tea Party had effectively seized control of the GOP.

"'All of the Republican candidates have made clear their allegiance to the Tea Party, supporting extreme policies that would hurt the middle class, seniors, and students,' Wasserman Schultz said in a statement. 'The only winner tonight was the Tea Party.'

"Bachmann's been an unabashed supporter of the grassroots conservative movement, and Paul is seen as somewhat of a forefather of the Tea Party movement. They finished in first and second place, respectively, at about 29 percent and 28 percent of the final tally....

"Michele Bachmann and Ron Paul represent the extreme right wing, which is the core of the Republican Party today," Wasserman Schultz said on MSNBC following the announcement of straw poll results."